The McLaren 12C Named Middle East 'Car Of The Year'

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – Nov 29, 2012: McLaren Automotive has
received two awards, including overall ‘Car of the Year’, for
its debut model, the 12C, at the 2012 Middle East Motor Awards. The 12C was
rated ahead of almost 50 car models, including some of the world’s
top supercar models, by a jury panel comprising of the region’s top
automotive experts across 17 categories.

The Middle East Motor Awards are the region’s most prestigious
automotive accolades, judged by a jury panel that includes 17 of the
region’s most influential motoring journalists from nine countries.
This is the first year a McLaren model has taken part in the awards, and
the 12C was named ‘Best Supercar’, before being crowned with
the overall title of ‘Car of the Year’. These honours cap a
successful first year of sales across the world for the brand.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, organiser Saif Al Midfa, Director
General of Expo Centre Sharjah: “The 12C is a clear winner for
‘Car of the Year’. McLaren’s debut model is a stunning
car and worthy of making the ultimate wish list for any automotive
fan.”

Mark Harrison, Regional Director for Middle East and Africa said:
“To win ‘Best Supercar’ in the Middle East is an amazing
achievement coming in our very first full year as a luxury sports car
manufacturer. But to win the overall ‘Car of the Year’ title is
unbelievable.”

“It is a great reward for all the skilled and passionate designers
and engineers back at McLaren and our retail partners in the region who
have worked incredibly hard to launch the brand. But the real winners, I
believe, are our first customers. They are driving the Middle East’s
‘Car of the Year’.”

McLaren Automotive strives to be at the forefront of innovation; this is
what has enabled McLaren to win one in every four of the Formula 1 races in
which they have entered since first competing in the sport nearly 50 years
ago. The 12C also benefits from this race-winning technology with features
such as the pioneering Brake Steer and carbon fibre MonoCell which allow
the 12C to offer dynamic driving capabilities unlike any other car in its
segment.

The 12C was launched in the Middle East in November 2011, and has since
achieved sales of over 1,000 cars worldwide, and more than 100 in the
Middle East. McLaren Automotive’s Middle East retail network of
specialist, luxury automotive retailers is located in prestigious venues
across Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab
Emirates, and there is also a service centre in Lebanon.